ERLANGER, Ky. — A Northern Kentucky man said he collapsed without warning at his workplace, leading to a lifesaving chain of events that highlights the importance of CPR training and emergency response.
Phillip Stevenson was preparing to leave All Star Performance Training in Erlanger on July 31 when he suddenly collapsed at the front door.
"I was getting ready to walk out of the front door, and ... I just completely collapsed," Stevenson said.
Stevenson had just finished training with a soccer team and felt completely normal before the incident.
"I felt fine, nothing was wrong," he said.
WATCH: How CPR and an AED saved his life
His coworker immediately began performing CPR while calling 911. Erlanger police and paramedics arrived within minutes and used an automated external defibrillator to shock Stevenson's heart back into rhythm.
"We were on scene within five minutes, so the longer that someone is down, the more damage that can be done to that tissue," said Ryan Fogle, an EMT with Erlanger.
Stevenson spent a couple of days in the hospital.
"For two days, I don't remember being anything besides waking up ... trying to figure out what I was doing there," he said.
Dr. Kevin Miller, a cardiologist at St. Elizabeth, said the quick CPR and AED response saved Stevenson's life.
"He had multiple blockages in multiple arteries supplying his heart, and he had at least a moderate amount of damage from the heart attack," Miller said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, high blood pressure is the leading cause of heart disease.
Stevenson underwent successful surgery in October and is scheduled to see Dr. Miller again in May.
"It can be anybody at anytime," Stevenson said.
The incident demonstrates how CPR training and access to AEDs can make the difference between life and death in cardiac emergencies.
